Dear Editor:
It is my understanding that:
1) education is compulsory to the age of 14 at least
2) the provincial government is responsible to fund education
3) education is an essential service
4) education is an investment for the future.
All this being so, the provincial government has the legal responsibility to have public schools open and operating.
The current impasse is irresponsible causing difficulties for students, parents, teachers, and in the long run, the future in B.C.
Teachers have had zero increases in salary for the past two years, losing effectively three per cent of their purchasing power due to cost of living increases.
Despite boasting about the fine record of B.C. public schools, Christy Clark and her government have consistently underfunded public education for a decade. No allowance for increasing costs has worsened conditions in schools.
Premier Clark is indeed negligent if she does not immediately act to open all schools. Now.
Sheila White
Summerland
